Hate Crime

Police Scotland defines Hate Crime as crimes motivated by malice or ill will towards a social group by disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or transgender identity. Hate crimes are abhorrent and target marginalised and vulnerable members of our communities with devastating effect on both victims and their families.

Scottish Government defines Hate Crime as crime committed against a person or property that is motivated by ‘malice or ill-will towards an identifiable social group’. It is likely that you are a victim of a hate crime if you believe that someone has targeted you because of their prejudice against an aspect of your identity. In Scotland, the law recognises hate crimes as crimes motivated by prejudice based on:

Disability

crimes motivated by prejudice based on physical disability, learning disability, mental health difficulty and sensory impairment such as Deafness, hearing or sight loss.

Race

crime motivated by prejudice based on ethnicity, nationality, skin colour and other characteristics associated with ethnicity, for example styles of dress, headwear etc.

Religion or belief

crime motivated by prejudice based on religion or faith such as sectarian conflicts between different sects, in addition to attacks based on prejudice against other religions.

Sexual orientation

crimes motivated by prejudice against lesbians, gay and bisexual people.

Transgender identity

crimes motivated by prejudice against someone who expresses their gender identity as Transgender.